Hurricane Beryl is barreling toward Jamaica where it’s expected to make landfall on the country’s southern coast on Wednesday afternoon, bringing a barrage of life-threatening conditions as residents prepare for the powerful storm’s arrival.
The storm’s rapid strengthening in the tropical Atlantic Ocean has stunned experts. Beryl made landfall in Grenada’s Carriacou Island as a Category 4 on Monday and later that night became the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record with winds peaking at 165 mph on Tuesday.
Though the hurricane, now a Category 4, is expected to gradually weaken, Beryl is forecast to pass near or over Jamaica as a major hurricane before it reaches the Cayman Islands on Thursday.
“Devastating hurricane-force winds, life-threatening storm surge, and damaging waves are expected in portions of Jamaica beginning this afternoon and in the Cayman Islands early on Thursday,” according to the National Hurricane Center. “Residents in these areas should listen to local government and emergency management officials for preparedness and/or evacuation orders.”
The NHC said “life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides” from torrential downpours are expected over much of Jamaica and southern Haiti through Wednesday.
Forecasters say Beryl will remain a hurricane later this week when it’s projected to pass over the Yucatan Peninsula on Friday and emerge over the Gulf of Mexico.
Developments:
∎ A hurricane warning was issued for Jamaica and the Cayman Islands while a hurricane watch was in effect for the coasts of Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Yucatan Peninsula.
∎ The storm surge along the Jamaican coast could raise water levels to 6 to 9 feet above normal tide levels. Rainfall totals of up to 4 to 8 inches and up to 12 inches in isolated locations were forecast for Jamaica and the southwestern Haitian Peninsula through late Wednesday.
∎ Beryl is also predicted to pass near or over the Cayman Islands on Wednesday night or early Thursday, potentially raising water levels by as much as 2 to 4 feet.
∎ At least four people have died on smaller islands in the eastern Caribbean after Beryl reached Carriacou Island at 11:10 a.m. Monday, officials said. Heavy rainfall also affected northern Venezuela, where officials reported two deaths.
Hurricane Beryl tracker: See projected path of storm
Where is Hurricane Beryl?
Hurricane Beryl was 185 miles east of Kingston, Jamaica, and 485 miles east of the Cayman Islands, moving at a speed of 20 mph, according to National Hurricane Center’s 5 a.m. outlook.
It’s expected to begin unleashing hurricane conditions across Jamaica around midday before reaching the Cayman Islands Wednesday night or early Thursday, NHC said.
Early Friday, Beryl is expected to move over Belize and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, bringing flash floods with 2 to 6 inches of rain forecast and up to 8 inches possible in some area. Meanwhile, storm surge could raise water levels by 3 to 5 feet, according to NHC.
NHC forecasters said more models are showing Beryl restrengthening as it enters the Gulf of Mexico this weekend. Their official forecast now shows Beryl becoming a hurricane before making landfall along the western coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
While there’s still “significant uncertainty” about where exactly the storm will go, experts with AccuWeather warned that the chances of direct impacts along portions of the U.S. Gulf Coast and Texas “are increasing.”
Is Texas in Hurricane Beryl’s path? Uncertainty remains
Once Beryl reaches the warm Gulf of Mexico waters this weekend, forecasters are unsure what it will do.
The National Weather Service, which noted “significant uncertainty in the long-term track forecast,” said its official forecast shows Beryle making landfall along the western coast of the Gulf.
While Beryl will continue to track slightly northwest in the short term, the influence of high pressure to the north over the southern U.S. is likely to waver, affecting where Beryl will go. “Interests along the Texas portion of the Gulf Coast should monitor the situation closely, as the chances of direct impacts are increasing,” AccuWeather said.
“From Panama City, to New Orleans, there is a low risk of direct impacts from Beryl, but from about Corpus Christi to Brownsville, Texas, the risk increases significantly due to the potential for Beryl to have more direct impacts,” Porter said.
“That southern portion of the Texas coast is the zone we have to really watch.”
Jamaica braces for Hurricane Beryl
Jamaican officials warned residents to stock up on food, batteries, candles, and drinking water. Residents in flood-prone areas were also advised to prepare for evacuation.
“Secure your critical documents and remove any trees or items that could endanger your property,” the Office of the Prime Minister in Jamaica said on X on Tuesday. “Everyone, including those living alone, should take these necessary steps now.”
As a precaution, Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness said Tuesday night that electricity and water services will likely be shut off “if the storm reaches a serious threshold” to prevent fires and protect equipment.
Record-breaking path: Hurricane Beryl tears through the Caribbean
“Only one hurricane has ever affected Jamaica during July,” according to AccuWeather meteorologist Jesse Ferrell. “Category 4 Hurricane Dennis in 2005 did not make landfall but killed one person and caused a lot of damage.”
As Beryl roars across the Caribbean Sea, impacts on the U.S. and Gulf Coast remain unclear. The National Weather Service’s offices in Houston and Corpus Christi, Texas, are closely monitoring Beryl’s progress and the forecast over the next couple of days.
But forecasters have warned that parts of the western Gulf coast may experience strong winds and storm surge over the weekend, according to AccuWeather. The weather service also noted the risk of dangerous rip currents at Texas’ Gulf Coast beaches over the weekend.
Hurricane Beryl breaks records
Forecasters have projected 2024 to be one of the busiest hurricane seasons on record. Beryl has already surprised forecasters and broken records since it formed, including becoming the earliest Category 4 or 5 storm on record.
Beryl broke the previous record set by Hurricane Emily on July 17, 2005 for the strongest Category 5 hurricane. Beryl rapidly strengthened from a tropical storm to a major hurricane in about 48 hours.
The storm is also the earliest Category 4 or larger storm by more than a week, breaking the record set by Hurricane Dennis, a Category 4 storm on July 8, 2005.
It was fueled by much warmer than normal ocean temperatures in the Atlantic and aided in that development by light winds that allowed it to build a strong inner core.
— Jennifer Borresen, Dinah Voyles Pulver and Ramon Padilla
Hurricane Beryl tracker: See projected path of Category 5 storm
Smaller islands hit hard by Beryl
Beryl hit St. Vincent and the Grenadines especially hard, according to Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves.
“The hurricane has come and gone, and it has left in its wake immense destruction,” he said, adding that Union Island had 90% of homes “severely damaged or destroyed.”
After making landfall in Grenada’s Carriacou Island on Monday, strong winds and high water levels smashed fishing boats in Barbados, downed power lines in Grenada and St. Vincent, and knocked out drinking water in St. Lucia, according to officials.
Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell noted on Tuesday that the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique were significantly impacted by the hurricane. In addition to downed power lines, roads were also remained impassable and fuel stations were destroyed.
“The situation is grim. There is no power. There is almost complete destruction of homes and buildings,” Mitchell said.
Contributing: Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY; Reuters; Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY Network-Florida
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricane Beryl live updates: Dangerous landfall expected in Jamaica
